Method and means for making wrought metal fittings



Oct. 5, 1965 A. c. ARBOGAST 3,209,439

METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING WROUGHT METAL FITTINGS Filed Nov. 3, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INV EN TOR.

ALFRED C. ARBOGAST ATTORNEY Oct. 5, 1965 A. c. ARBOGAST 3,209,439

METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING WROUGHT METAL FITTINGS Filed Nov. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV EN TOR.

ALFRED C. ARBOGAST ATTORNEY United States Patent ()flice 3,209,439 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 3,209,439 METHOD AND MEANS FOR MAKING WROUGHT METAL FITTINGS Alfred C. Arbogast, 1255 Oak St., Elkhart, Ind. Filed-Nov. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 67,901 7 Claims. (Cl. 29-157) This invention relates to improved method and means for making wrought metal fittings, and in particular constitutes an improvement upon the subject matter of the Seeber Patent No. 2,111,695, dated March 22, 1938, and of my prior Patent No. 2,557,403, dated June 19, 1951.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a method and means by which a wrought fitting having a tubular body and one or more branches projecting therefrom in a configuration differing from a simple right angle branch may be formed easily, accurately and inexpensively.

A further object is to provide a method by which a wrought pipe fitting having at least one lateral branch may be reshaped to desired configuration wherein said branch is shaped to have a portion thereof Whose axis is curved.

A further object is to provide a method by which a wrought pipe fitting having a latterally projecting branch may be reshaped to enlarge the cross-sectional dimension of the branch and to change the configuration of the branch by expansion thereof within a die cavity.

A further object is to provide a method wherein a wrought pipe fitting having a laterally projecting branch in said branch and a portion of the remainder of the body thereof adjacent said branch a filler material capable of being deformed by pressure and is inserted into a die cavity in which said lateral branch fits with clearance and in which said filler material is deformed in a manner and direction to reshape the fitting and expand the branch into conformity with the die cavity.

A further object is to provide a method of reforming a Wrought pipe fitting having a lateral tubular branch to enlarge the cross-section and change the shape of said branch, wherein said fitting is confined in the cavity of a die conforming in size and shape to the desired fitting and in which said branch fits with lateral clearance and in end abutment, and a filler is reshaped under pressure while confined in said branch by the engagement of the end of said branch with said die.

A further object is to provide a method of forming a wrought pipe fitting having a configured lateral tubular branch by cold forming a wrought tubular fitting with a plain lateral tubular branch smaller than the desired lateral branch, annealing said fitting and then cold forming the lateral tubular branch and adjacent parts of said fitting by expanding and reshaping said branch.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for forming a wrought pipe fitting wherein a die has a die cavity of a desired size and shape with a lateral branch-receiving portion larger than the tubular branch of a work piece to be reformed and having a surface continuously abutted by the end edge of said branch, and wherein opposed plungers are insertable in opposite ends of the tubular body of the work piece to engage and abut a filler capable of being reshaped under pressure to reshape the work piece in the die cavity at the branch and at the junction of the branch with the body of the work piece while said filler is confined in said branch by the contacting engagement of branch end edge with said die cavity surface.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a tube forming the starting work piece employed in the method;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tube;

FIG. 3 is a view of the apparatus used in practicing an initial step of the method, taken on line 33 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a work piece produced by the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a face view of a part of the apparatus employed in a final'fitting-forming step of the process, illustrating the work piece in cross-section;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating the relation of the parts at the end of the forming operatio performed thereby upon the work piece;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the finished work piece;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary face View of a modified form of apparatus used in the second step of the process, with the work piece and filler shown in section; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary face view of another modified form of apparatus used in the second step of the process, with the work piece shown in section.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 5, inclusive, illustrate the practice of the method covered by the Seeber et al. Patent No. 2,111,695, and by my prior Patent No. 2,557,403, to form a fitting from a metal tube 10. The metal tube 10 is preferably formed of wrought metal having characteristics or properties suitable for drawing thereof, such, for example, as copper tubing, aluminum tubing, Monel metal tubing, zinc tubing or magnium tubing. The tube 10 is preferably seamless drawn tubing of selected diameter, preferably substantially corresponding to the diameter and wall thickness of the main body portion of the fitting to be formed therefrom, such as the body portion 12 of a T fitting, as shown in FIG. 5, from which projects laterally a branch 14.

The apparatus utilized to form the fitting shown in FIG. 5 from the tube 10 is substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and utilizes a pair of die members 16 mounted in a press or other support (not shown) which is capable of moving one or both of the die members to separate them and which is capable of holding the die members in operative position with the faces thereof at the parting plane 18 in contact. Each of the die members 16 has a die cavity in its parting face, and one part of said die cavity constitutes a semi-cylindrical portion 20 extending from end to end thereof and of a diameter to receive snugly the tubular work piece 10. Branching from the cavity portion 20 in each die member is a second cavity portion 22, also preferably of semi-cylindrical shape or contour, whose axis lies in the parting plane 18 and whose diameter is preferably less than the diameter of the cavity portion 20. A cylindrical or tubular insert 24 is mounted within the cavity 22 to provide an abrupt shoulder 26, the same having a bore 28 substantially smaller than the cavity 22. The shoulder 26 serves as a means to define and shape the end of the branch 14 of the fitting.

Plungers 30 fit snugly and slidably in opposite ends of the cavity portion 20 and are provided with reduce-d diameter inner end portions 32 which fit snugly within the work tube 10 and define shoulders 34 extending annularly therearound spaced from the inner ends of said plungers and adapted to abut the ends of the work tube 10. Each of the plungers 30 has an axial bore or recess 36 therein.

The work piece 10 has a filler 38 of plastic or other de formable material, for example of the character described in Seeber Patent No. 2,111,695, which terminates spaced from the oposite ends thereof as illustrated in FIG. 1. The work piece with the filler 38 therein is mounted in the die cavity 20, the dies are closed with the work piece centered therein relative to the transverse cavity 22, and the plungers 30 are then urged inwardly toward the work piece by suitable means, such as an hydraulic press, fluid pressure members or the like (not shown).

The leading ends of the reduced portions of the plungers 30 preferably contact the filler 38 before the shoulders 34 of the plungers engage the ends of the tubular piece to be reshaped. Thus initial reaction from the simultaneous inward thrust or movement of the plungers 30 toward each other is to compress the filler 38 and to force some of the filler into the plunger cavities or recesses 36. The cavities 36 are so formed, as by longitudinal tapering thereof and by controlling the volume thereof, as to resist flow of filler material 38 therein by the time the shoulders 34 of the plungers contact the ends of the tube 10. Thereafter, continued application of endwise pressure upon both the filler 38 and the tube results in simultaneous shortening of the tube 10 and reshaping of a portion thereof within the cavity branch 22 to cause the tubular branch 14 to be formed on the work tube. The application of pressure on plungers 30 continues until the deformed branch tubular portion 14 of the work tube abuts the end face 26 of the insert 24 and shapes itself thereagainst, usually with resultant expulsion of filler material through the bore 28 of the insert 24 at 39, and further extrusion of filler material in the recesses 36 of plungers 30 at 37.

Upon completion of the working stroke of the plungers 30, the length of the tube 10 will be reduced, the tubular branch 14 will be formed integrally therewith incident to a flow of the metal of the tube, and the wall thickness of the resultant work piece will be substantially uniform throughout except for a possible slight thickness variation adjacent the center thereof diametrically opposite the branch 14 in the case of a T fitting as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The plungers 30 are then retracted or withdrawn so as to be free of the work piece and of the extruded filler portions 37, the die parts 16 are separated and the work piece is withdrawn. The work piece is then heated to melt the filler, if plastic. The tubular branch 14 is then cut to desired length and may be annealed, if desired. The work piece is then again filled so that said filler, if plastic, assumes the shape illustrated at 68 in FIG. 6 characterized by a body portion which completely fills the main body 12 of the work piece adjacent the branch 14, and a portion 69 which completely fills the branch 14 of the work piece. Alternatively, a plurality of pre formed elastic disks 70, 72 formed of rubber, synthetic rubber or synthetic resin, may be inserted in the center of the tubular body 12 and in the tubular branch 14 of the work piece, as shown in FIG. 9.

The second and novel critical forming step of the process is practiced by the use of the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 or FIG. 9. Thus, referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, die members 40 are employed which are mounted in a press or machine (not shown) similar to that previously described and capable of holding the die members in operative face engagement at their parting faces or of separating the same. Each of the die members 40 has a serni-cylindrical die cavity 42 formed therein, extending completely thereacross and of a diameter to snugly receive the part 12 of the partially finished work piece. The axes of said cavities 42 lie in the parting plane of the dies. A branch cavity or recess 44 is formed in the die, and preferably each die part has a semi-cylindrical branch cavity therein with its axis preferably in the parting plane of the dies. The cooperating cavities 44 conform in shape to the desired configuration of the branch portion 46 of the finished fitting 48 to be produced, for example of the character illustrated in FIG. 8. As here shown, the branch cavity portions 44 have curved axes and are flared at 49 at the parts thereof wihch merge with the cavity portions 42 of the dies, and the transverse dimension of the branch cavity portions 44 is larger than the crosssectional dimension of the transverse tubular portion 14 of the partially formed work piece shown in FIG. 5. Stated differently, the partially finished work piece, as illustrated in FIG. 5, will have a transverse branch tube portion 14 of such transverse or cross-sectional dimension as to accommodate insertion thereof into the transverse cavities 44 of the dies 4! as illustrated in FIG. 6, preparatory to the performance of the finishing operation upon that work piece. The transverse die cavities 44 terminate spaced from the adjacent margins of the die parts 40 and, as here illustrated, may be delineated by a plug 50 spanning the branch cavity portions 44 and positioned by seating of an enlarged annular portion or rib 52 thereof within an enlarged groove portion 54 upon each die part 40. In the preferred form the inner face 51 of the plug 50 defining the end wall of the transverse die cavity 44 will preferably be spaced from the cavity portions 42 a distance equal to the length of projection of the tubular branch 46 of the work piece 48 to be formed so that the end edge of said tubular branch 46 is in continuous engagement with the face 51 when the work piece is received in the die.

A pair of opposed plungers 60 fit snugly within the opposite ends of the die cavity 42 and are connected with suitable means, such as an hydraulic press, or other power operated actuators for advancing them inwardly in the direction of each other within said die cavity 42. The inner end portion 62 of each plunger 60 in the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is of a cross-sectional dimension smaller than the part 12 of the work piece and is preferably centered therein. A pilot portion 64 of each plunger is of a diameter or cross-sectional size to have a snug fit within the end of the tubular work body 12 and the outer portion of each plunger preferably has a snug fit in the die cavity 42.

When the dies 40 have been closed upon the partially formed work piece illustrated in FIG. 5, positioned as described above, the plungers 60 are advanced endwise inwardly in the die cavity 42 and the opposite ends of the tubular body 12 of the work piece. The initial action which occurs in the embodiment of the FIGS. 6 and 7 is compression of the plastic filler body 68 between the reduced dimension end portions 62 of the plungers which tends to cause that filler material to reshape itself at the portions thereof which are not confined, as at the spaces around the plunger ends 62 and at which the work piece is not supported, that is, at the tubular branch 14 of the work piece and at the body portion 12 adjacent the junction of branch tube 14 therewith. The continued advance of the plungers 60 serves to compress the filler material 68, 69 if any voids exist therein to exert expanding and reshaping internal pressureupon the work piece at all portions at which the work piece has clearance within the cavity 42, 44 of the dies. As this expansion of the plastic filler 68, 69 occurs, the end edge of the branch tube 14 of the work piece remains in contact with the surface 51 of the die cavity to seal against escape of the filler from the branch 14, i.e., into the die cavity portion 44 around the branch 14. The application of this pressure continues until the filler has expanded and reshaped the work piece to conform with the shape of the cavity 42, 44 as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In the embodiment shown, this action has entailed an expansion of the branch 14 of the work piece to greater cross-sectional size and reshaping of the work piece to different form, such as longitudinal curvature of branch 14 and the flaring thereof around the die cavity 49 at the junction of main body portion and tubular branch portion of the work piece. The reshaping to conform with the die cavity curvature 49 may entail radial expansion of a portion of the main body portion 12 of the work piece as well as reshaping of the branch portion. After the work piece has been reshaped to desired form, the dies are separated and the work piece is removed and heated to melt the filler and free the fitting thereof.

While I prefer to employ plungers having leading end portions of reduced cross-section, especially with Work pieces filled with Woods metal and like plastic fillers, this is not essential and plungers having blunt end portions of a cross-sectional size fitting snugly in the ends of the tubular body 12 of the work piece may be utilized if desired, as illustrated at 74 in FIG. 9. The use of plungers 74 with end portions of substantially the same cross-section as the bore of the portion 12 of the work piece in which they fit is preferred in cases where preformed filler blocks 70 and 72 formed of elastic or resilient material are used in the work pieces as shown in FIG. 9. Such block 70, 72 have the advantage of returning to normal shape after release of pressure therefrom, and consequently are removable from the work piece easily and quickly after the work piece is completed. Similarly, the blocks are easily inserted in the work piece, so that the complete operation can be performed rapidly in a single sequence of steps, rather than requiring filling, reshaping and removal of filling by melting as separate operations performed at different times as is most practical in cases where a plastic poured filler material is used.

While referencehas been made herein to the shapes of the cavities in the plungers and possibly other parts by the word cylindrical, etc., it will be understood that such terms are used in an illustrative sense and are not intended to be limiting. Thus the fittings may be noncircular in cross-sectional shape, as being oval, elliptical, egg-shaped, square or of any other desired configuration at selected portions thereof or at all portions thereof.

It will be understood that, if desired, lubricant material may be employed in conjunction with a work piece filler, as explained in my prior Patent No. 2,557,403. Likewise it will be understood that the branch cavities 44 to receive the branch tube portions of the work piece need not be formed in the parting faces of the dies but may be formed to extend into one die part only, in cases in which the shape of the branch is such as to insure that the work piece will not be locked into the die cavity incident to the shaping of the work piece. Alternatively, the die may be formed in more than two parts where the shape of the work piece to be formed is such as to require such formation thereof in order to receive the work piece to reshape it to desired finished form and to permit release thereof from the dies after it has been formed therein. It will also be understood that, if desired, the abutment member 50 may have a passage therein accommodating extrusion of poured filler material therefrom, in a manner similar to the extrusion of that filler material through the passage 28 in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10, the branch die passage 80 is closed at its outer end and has an annular groove 82 near its closed end to receive a resilient sealing ring 84, such as an O-ring. The branch 14 of the work piece fits snugly and sealingly within the branch passage. The plungers (not shown) which are solid like plungers 74 of FIG. 9, fit snugly in the ends of the body 12 of the work piece to seal said ends. The dies are immersed in a non-compressible fluid, such as water, and are closed after the work piece has been filled with the fluid. In this way, the fluid serves as the filler supporting the interior of the work piece. As pressure is applied to the fluid by the plungers, the fluid is retained in the work piece by the sealed fit of the plungers therein and the sealed fit of ring 84 around the branch 14. Consequently, the applied pressure expands the work piece to conform to the shape of the branch cavity 80.

While I have illustrated and described several embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in still other forms and procedures falling within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The method of making wrought tube fittings having a body portion with an open ended passage therethrough and a curved tubular branch projecting laterally and communicating with said passage, consisting of the steps of inserting in a wrought work piece of different shape than that to be produced and having a tubular body portion of the cross-section desired in said fitting and a branch tube portion open at its end and substantially straight, a deformable filler in the branch portion and in the body portion adjacent said branch, placing said work piece in a die cavity of the configuration of the desired fitting and which has a portion of greater cross-sectional size and of different shape than the portion of said work piece inserted therein so as to receive said work piece with clearance at said branch and at a part thereof spaced from the ends of the body portion of the work piece, and pressing upon the ends of the portion of said filler within the body portion of the work piece while retaining said filler against escape from the open ended tubular branch to shape and expand said filler and work piece into said clearance space of said die cavity whereby said work piece is reshaped and enlarged at parts thereof to conform with the configuration of said die cavity.

2. The method of making wrought metal fittings having a tubular body portion and a curved branch tube portion, consisting of the steps of forming a work piece having a tubular body portion of the same cross-section as the body portion of said fitting and a substantially straight branch tube portion open at its end and of smaller cross-sectional size and of different shape than said desired curved branch tube of said fitting, filling the branch portion and the mid portion of the tubular body portion of said work piece with a deformable filler, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the configuration of the desired fitting and flared at the junction of the parts receiving said tubular body portion and branch portion, pressing upon opposite ends of said filler in the tubular body of said work piece while confining said filler within the work piece until said work piece is reshaped to define a branch tube of desired curvature and cross-sectional size flared at its junction with said tubular body portion.

3. The method of making wrought metal fittings having a tubular body portion and a curved branch tube portion, a consisting of the steps of forming a work piece having a tubular body portion of the same cross-section as the body portion of said fitting and a substantially straight branch tube portion open at its end and of smaller cross-sectional size and different shape than said desired curved branch tube of said fitting, filling the branch portion and the mid portion of the tubular body portion of said work piece with a deformable filler, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the configuration of the desired fitting which seals the end of the branch portion of said work piece, advancing through the opposite ends of the tubular body of the work piece plungers having a snug slide fit in the tubular body of the work piece and each having a leading end portion of reduced cross-sectional size whereby to confine said filler and to cause reshaping of said filler around said plunger reduced end portions and in engagement with the tubular portion of said work piece and displacement of said filler into said tubular branch while confining said filler in said branch to reshape the work piece into conformity with the size and shape of said die cavity.

4. The method of making wrought metal fittings having a tubular body portion and a curved branch tube portion merging with said body portion at a flared junction portion, consisting of the steps of forming a work piece having a tubular body portion of the cross-sectional dimension desired in said fitting and a substantially straight branch tube portion open at its end and of substantially uniform cross-section smaller than desired in said fitting, filling the branch tube and the mid portion of the tubular body of said work piece with a deformable filler, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the configuration of the desired fitting with the end of its branch portion in continuous engagement with a face of said cavity, advancing plungers in the opposite ends of the tubular portion of the work piece to displace filler material from said body portion into said branch portion while retaining said filler in said branch portion, whereby said work piece is expanded and reshaped to provide a curved branch portion of desired shape and cross-section and a flared junction between said body portion and branch tube portion.

5. The method of making wrought metal fittings having a tubular body portion and a branch tube portion having an axis which is curved at a part thereof, consisting of the steps of forming a work piece having a tubular body portion of the cross-sectional dimension desired in said fitting and a branch tube portion open at its end and of substantially uniform cross-section smaller than desired in said fitting, and having a substantially straight axis, filling the branch tube and the mid portion of the tubular body of said work piece with a deformable filler, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the configuration of the desired fitting with the end of its branch portion abutting a surface of said die cavity, advancing plungers in the opposite ends of the tubular portion of the work piece to displace filler material from said body portion into said branch portion while retaining said filler in said branch portion whereby said work piece is expanded to provide a tubular branch portion of enlarged cross-section and having a longitudinal curvature.

6. The method of making a wrought metal fitting having a tubular body portion and a curved branch tube portion, consisting of the steps of cold forming a work piece having an open ended tubular body portion of the same cross-sectional size and shape as said desired fitting and a substantially straight branch tube portion open at its end and of smaller cross-section than said desired curved branch tube portion, annealing said Work piece, placing a deformable filler in said work piece to substantially fill said branch tube portion and at least partially fill said tubular body portion, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the shape of the fitting desired with the end of said branch tube abutting a surface of said die cavity and applying deforming pressure to the ends of the portion of the filler in said tubular body portion while confining said filler in said branch tube portion until said work piece is enlarged in cross-section at the junction of said body and branch portions and at said branch tube portion to conform with the shape of said die cavity.

7. The method of making a wrought metal fitting having a tubular body portion and a configured branch tube portion, consisting of the steps of cold forming a work piece having an open ended tubular body portion of the same cross-sectional size and shape as said desired fitting and a branch tube portion open at its end and of smaller cross-section than said desired configured branch tube portion, placing a plurality of preformed filler blocks of elastic resilient material in said work piece to substantially fill said branch tube portion and at least partially fill said tubular body portion, placing said filled work piece in a die cavity of the shape of the fitting desired and applying deforming pressure to the ends of the portion of the filler in said tubular body portion while confining said filler in said branch tube portion until said work piece is enlarged at said branch tube portion into conformity with the shape of said die cavity.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,715 7/33 Robinson 29-157 1,921,584 8/33 Robinson 29-157 X 2,837,810 6/58 Ekholm 29-157 2,952,070 9/60 Veatch 29157 2,975,510 3/61 Heuss 29157 FOREIGN PATENTS 470,485 11/35 Great Britain.

WHITMORE A, WILTZ, Primary Examiner. HYLAND BIZOT, JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Examiners. 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING WROUGHT TUBE FITTINGS HAVING A BODY PORTION WITH AN OPEN ENDED PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND A CURVED TUBULAR BRANCH PROJECTING LATERALLY AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PASSAGE, CONSISTING OF THE STEPS OF INSERTING IN A WROUGHT WORK PIECE OF DIFFERENT SHAPE THAN THAT TO BE PRODUCED AND HAVING A TUBULAR BODY PORTION OF THE CROSS-SECTION DESIRED IN SAID FITTING AND A BRANCH TUBE PORTION OPEN AT ITS END AND SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT, A DEFORMABLE FILLER IN THE BRANCH PORTION AND IN THE BODY PORTION ADJACENT SAID BRANCH, PLACING SAID WORK PIECE IN A DIE CAVITY OF THE CONFIGURATION OF THE DESIRED FITTING AND WHICH HAS A PORTION OF GREATER CROSS-SECTIONAL SIZE AND OF DIFFERENT SHAPE THAN THE PORTION OF SAID WORK PIECE INSERTED THEREIN SO AS TO RECEIVE SAID WORK PIECE WITH CLEARANCE AT SAID BRANCH AND AT A PART THEREOF SPACED FROM THE ENDS OF THE BODY PORTION OF THE WORK PIECE, AND PRESSING UPON THE ENDS OF THE PORTION OF SAID FILLER WITHIN THE BODY PORTION OF THE WORK PIECE WHILE RETAINING SAID FILLER AGAINST ESCAPE FROM THE OPEN ENDED TUBULAR BRANCH TO SHAPE AND EXPAND SAID FILLER AND WORK PIECE INTO SAID CLEARANCE SPACE OF SAID DIE CAVITY WHEREBY SAID WORK PIECE IS RESHAPED AND ENLARGED AT PARTS THEREOF TO CONFORM WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID DIE CAVITY. 